110 high school students vie in JETS-TEAMS competition, Tuesday (3/4)

Science teams from eight northwest Indiana high schools will compete in local JETS-TEAMS competition, Tuesday (3/4) at Purdue University Calumet.

JETS-TEAMS is an acronym for Junior Engineering Technical Society-Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science. JETS sponsors this national academic competition. Awards are given at local, state and national levels.

Schools competing at Purdue Calumet are: Griffith, Kouts, Lake Central, LaPorte, Michigan City, Munster, Rochester and Wheeler.

“Problems in TEAMS competition offer students an opportunity to see how engineering touches almost every aspect of our daily lives,” Purdue Calumet Professor of Engineering Ed Pierson said. “This year’s test is concerned with meeting the needs of large athletic events such as the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The questions cover such issues as transportation needs; how to make large athletic events ‘green,’ safe and cost-effective; and communication needs.”

Eight-member teams will engage in a battery of two 90-minute tests in chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, visual interpretation of information, computer applications, and reading analysis and interpretation. The first part is multiple-choice; the second part requires detailed explanations.

The three highest scoring varsity and junior varsity teams will receive trophies at a post-competition luncheon.

Based on the first part results, the top schools in each state are entered into the nationwide competition. The solutions to the second part are used to decide the national winners.

EDITOR’S NOTE: While the competition is not intended for public viewing, members of the news media interested in covering and/or photographing the event are invited to contact Professor Ed Pierson at 773/802-9188; 219/989-2467; or 800/HI-PURDUE, ext. 2467 for campus locations of the day’s events. Testing begins at 8:30 a.m. A luncheon will be held at noon in Alumni Hall of the Student Union & Library.

News Release Date: February 28, 2008